You need to tell us if any of your or your partner’s personal circumstances change. These changes could affect your payments. If you don’t tell us, we may pay you too much. This means you may get a debt and you’ll need to pay us back.
You need to update changes to your bank account details. This includes changes to your bank account balance and opening and closing accounts.
It’s important to tell us if you change your legal name. Your legal name appears on letters, concession cards and in some places on your online account.
You can also tell us the name and title you prefer to use. We’ll use your preferred name when we talk to you.
You can choose to update your gender details with us.
If your or your child’s date of birth is recorded incorrectly on your Centrelink record, please call us. We’ll try to verify the correct date of birth with you on the phone. If we can’t, you’ll need to give us original evidence from Births, Deaths and Marriages in your state or territory. We’ll tell you what evidence we need when you call us.
If you don’t get a payment from us but owe us money, you must tell us if your address changes. You need to do this within 14 days of your address changing.
There are some things you need to do to keep your information safe if you’re breaking up, leaving a relationship or living with violence or abuse.
What changes you need to tell us about
Raising kids
Read what changes you need to tell us about if you get one of these payments or child support arrangements:
- Additional Child Care Subsidy
- Child Care Subsidy
- Child support
- Double Orphan Pension
- Family Tax Benefit
- Newborn Upfront Payment and Newborn Supplement
- Parental Leave Pay.
Living arrangements
Read what changes you need to tell us about if you’re getting one of these payments:
- Farm Household Allowance
- Relocation Scholarship
- Remote Area Allowance
- Rent Assistance
- Special Benefit
- Status Resolution Support Services payment.
If you’re in between home addresses, keep us up to date and tell us where to send your mail so you can get it.
You can tell us about a home address you are moving to in the future but we can only send your mail there from the date you’ve told us you’ll be living there. However, while you’re waiting for this to happen, it’s important you give us a secure mailing address. If you don’t, your mail will go to the last mailing address you gave us.
You can ask us to use a temporary address for your mail for a certain timeframe. If you don’t update your address after this time, we may send your mail to your previous address.
It’s important to keep your addresses up to date using your Centrelink online account through myGov.
If you are living with violence or abuse, or separating from your partner, you should review all addresses we have recorded for you. This can help to keep your information secure.
Ageing
Read what changes you need to tell us about if you’re getting one of these payments:
- Age Pension
- Aged care calculation of your cost of care
- Commonwealth Seniors Health Card
- Continence Aids Payment Scheme
- Home Equity Access Scheme.
Work
Read what changes you need to tell us about if you’re getting one of these payments:
Education
Read what changes you need to tell us about if you’re getting one of these payments:
- ABSTUDY
- ABSTUDY Fares Allowance
- ABSTUDY Incidentals Allowance
- ABSTUDY Living Allowance
- ABSTUDY School Fees Allowance at home rate
- ABSTUDY School Fees Allowance higher rate
- ABSTUDY School Term Allowance
- Assistance for Isolated Children Scheme
- Austudy
- Pensioner Education Supplement
- Student Start-up Loan
- Youth Allowance for students and Australian apprentices.
Health and disability
Read what changes you need to tell us about if you’re getting one of these payments:
- Carer Allowance
- Carer Payment
- Disability Support Pension
- Essential Medical Equipment Payment
- Health Care Card
- Low Income Health Care Card
- Pensioner Concession Card
- Telephone Allowance
- Youth Disability Supplement.